Counter



Nov. 28, 1939; H. N. Buss 3 1 2 I COUNTER Filed Aug. 19, 1935 3Sheets-Sheet l 5e! 34 e2 ea 54 ea F Nov. 28, 1939.

H. N. BLISS COUNTER I 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 19,- 1935 I FIG. 5.

FIG. 7a.

H. N. BLISS COUNTER Nov. 28, 1939.

Filed Aug. 19, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet 3' 3 hand unit in Fig. 2;

Patented Nov. 28, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE COUNTER ConnecticutApplication August 19, 1935, Serial No. 36,795

11 Claims.

My invention relates to counters.

It has among its objects to provide an improved counter of thepredetermined counter type adapted to be set to count up to a selectednumoer, and then operative to control an associated device or circuit. Afurther object of my invention is to provide such an improved counterhaving improved setting mechanism whereby the counter may be set fromthe outside of a closed casing. Another object is to provide such acounter having improved setting mechanism whereby the setting may alsobe changed at any time even when the counter is in-operation. A stillfurther object is to provide improved setting mechanism whereby thesetting is indicated at all times, and clearly indicated in such manneras to be wholly distinct and free from confusion with the reading of thecounter. Other objects of my invention include the provision of animproved construction and arrangement of counter units and also of thesetting and resetting mechanisms therefor, with the counter unitsoperatively connected in an improved manner and having both setting andresetting mechanisms operatively associated therewith in an improvedmanner to enable the above new results to be obtained and produce anefiective predetermined counter adapted to use in any of the desireduses for such counters, while also having improved mechanism associatedtherewith and operative after a predetermined count is reached andcontrolling a control memher in an improved manner. These and otherobjects and advantages of my improved construction will, however,hereinafter more fully appear.

In the accompanying drawings I have shown for purposes of illustrationone embodiment which my invention may assume in practice.

In these drawings,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a counter constructed in accordance withmy improvement;

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig; 1, but with the casing in section toshow the several units of the counting mechanism and the transfermechanism between the same;

Fig. 3 is a sectional View on line 33 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view on line 4--4 of Fig. 2;

Fg. 5 is a sectional view on line 5--5 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail view of the right Fig. '7 is a sectionalview on line 1-7 of Fig. 6;

Fig. 7a is a View similar to Fig. '7 but looking.

in the opposite direction;

Fig. 8 is a sectional view on line 88 of Fig. 6;

Fig. 9 is a sectional view on line 9-9 of Fig. 6 with a part broken awayto facilitate illustration;

Fig. 10 is a sectional view on line Ill-l0 of Fig. 6, with a part brokenaway to facilitate illustration;

Fig. 11 is a sectional view on line tl-ll Fig. 8, and

Fig. 12 is a sectional View on line l2--l2 of Fig. 3, the transferpinion being shown in side elevation.

In this illustrative construction, I have shown a predetermined counterincluding a plurality of operatively connected counter units A, B, C andD having associated coaxial controlling mechanism a, b, c and d, withboth sets of mechanism 15 enclosed within a suitable casing, generallyindicated at I; the several units being operated from a driving member2, and the mechanism being adapted to be set for any predeterminednumber by means of adjustable setting members 3a, 3b, 3c, and 3ddisposed outside the casing, and further being adapted when thepredetermined number is reached to actuate a switch 4 to change thecircuit connections in a circuit, indicated at 5, while the severalunits A, B, C, D are reset by 'a single reset operating member 6likewise operative from outside the casing, all as hereinafter morespecifically described.

Referring to the units A, B, C and D, it will be noted that these aredisposed in parallel relation with their axes in alignment and herein onupright axes with the second unit upside down or reversed relative tothe first, the third disposed like the first and the fourth disposedlike the second. Further, it will be noted that, apart from the aboveand resultant differences, including reverse arrangements of the parts20, 2|, 9, etc., and of the figures on successive wheels, to permitreading from the same side of the counter, as shown in Figure 2, each ofthese units is of the 46 same construction, and operatively connected totransfer mechanism arranged in a new staggered relation thereto. Asshown they are also disposed in a novel relationship with thecontrolling mechanisms 11, b, c, and 03, their setting 5 members 3a, 3b,3c, 3d and the reset operating member 6; the several sets of units,controlling mechanism and setting members herein being coaxiallydisposed in a series of four aligned devices, with the members to, 3b,3c and 3d pro- 50 jecting'up from the top of the casing l and the resetmember 6 depending from the bottom midway between the ends of thecasing.

More particularly considering the unit A, it will be noted that the sameis driven from the 56 shaft 2 which is journaled in bearings I andcarries a worm 8 which meshes with a worm gear 9 at the bottom of theunit A. Further, as shown in Figs. 6 and 8-10, it will be noted thatthis worm gear 9 is the driving member for the unit A and is rigidlyconnected to and spaced below a member ID, corresponding to the drivinggear of a standard unit but herein without teeth, while the rest of themechanism of the unit is of standard construction. Thus, as l0 rotates,it carries around pawls M which are pivoted thereon at l2 and acted uponby a common spring l3 to hold these p-awls in notches E4 in acooperating ratchet member I5 fixed within a number wheel I6, while themembers l5 and I6 are fixed on areduced portion of a sleeve I'Irotatable on a reset shaft l8, and the member ID is freely rotatable asat l9 on the reduced projecting end of this sleeve l1. Moreover, it willbe noted that a locking disc 26 and usual mutilated transfer gear 2| arefixed by pins 22 to the opposite side of the number wheel [6 from thegear 9, while a reset pawl 23 is pivotally mounted in the. disc 20 andnormally acted upon by a spring 24, likewise disposed in that disc, topress the pawl through a usual slot in the sleeve l i into engagementwith the periphery of the shaft it, so that the pawl will engage in alongitudinal reset slot 25 in this shaft upon rotation of the latter ina resetting direction, to cause the entire unit A to be rotated into itsreset position in a usual manner.

Operatively associated with the unit A thus described is improvedcooperating control mechanism therefor. Herein, this includes a disc 26which is fixed to and rotatable with the sleeve El and spaced from themember 26 by a spacer 21. This disc 26,, in turn, is provided in itsupper otherwise flat face with a socket or notch 28 adapted to receive aball 29. Herein, the ball 29 isdisposed between the disc 26 and an uppercooperating setting disc 36, herein another number wheel, in a notch 3!in the latter similar to the notch 28, and is adapted also to bereceived in the notch 28 in one position of the parts, the ball 29 inall other positions engaging the unnotched portion of the top surface ofthe disc 26. It will further be noted that the member 36 is providedwith suitable opposite vertical slots 32 adjacent its axis which areadapted to receive the ends of a transverse pin 33 projecting from apoint just above the lower end of a vertical shaft 34 which is coaxialwith the shaft l8 and extends down through the member 30 and into theopen upper end of the sleeve l1, thus enabling the setting member 30 tobe vertically movable relative to the shaft 34. Here it will also benoted that this shaft 34 is provided with a reduced axial portion 35 onits lower end slidable in a corresponding bore 36 in the upper end ofthe shaft l8. Thus, the member 26 and shaft l8 may rotate relative tothe member 30 and shaft 34, and the shaft 34 may be rotated at willrelative to the shaft [8, while the shaft 34, when rotated, will rotatethe member 30 therewith. Further, the latter may be rotated to bring theball 29 into different angular or setting positions, while the member 30will be free to drop down whenever, during counting, .the notch 28 isbrought opposite the ball 29 by the rotation of the member 26 with thecounter unit A.

Operatively associated with shaft 34 and member 30 are. improved meansfor adjusting the same from the exterior of the casing 8, herein througha removable top plate la the eon. As

shown, the upper end of the shaft 34 is rotatably mounted in a dependingbearing lb on this plate la while a spacer sleeve I0 is provided on thetop of the disc 30 between the latter and the bearing lb, and a reducedupper end 31 on the shaft is pinned by a pin 38 to the adjusting knob 3ahaving a knurled end'39. Further, it willbe observed that the knob 3a isprovided with an enlargement 40 of its bore 4|, receiving a screw 42threaded into the upper end 31 on the shaft 34, and that a coiled spring43 acts between the head of the screw 42 and the bottom of theenlargement 49, to force the knob 3a downward and thereby cause adownwardly extending projection 44 on the bottom of the knob to be heldin any selected one of a series of holes 45 in the plate Ia which isdisposed radially around and beneath' the bottom. of the knob 3a. Thus,by merely pulling up the knob 3a, the same may be released and the shaft34 and member 36 may be lifted and rotated angularly as desired tochange the setting of the unit A which is determined by the angularposition of the controlling mechanism a and of the ball 29 relative tothe shaft axis, and thus change the count required to bring notch 29into position to receive the ball.

Next referring to the unit B, it will be noted that it is the same asthe previously described unit A, save that it is reversely disposed, i.e. upside down as compared with unit A, with its locking disc 20 andmutilated transfer gear 2| beneath rather than above the number wheell6, and the driving gear 9 above the number wheel l6 rather than belowit. Moreover, it will be noted that a usual transfer pinion 46 isprovided between the members 28, 2! of unit A on the one hand and thegear 9 of the unitB on the other. This transfer pinion herein isrotatably mounted on a vertical axis on supporting means 4'! inside thecasing and operating in a usualmanner to advance the unit B through onetenth of a revovlution for each complete revolution of the unit A.

Further, it will be noted that this unit B is provided with cooperatingcontrolling mechanism b similar to the mechanism a previously describedand is further provided with a knurled adjusted knob 3b, correspondingto the knob 3a previously described. Thus, with the numbers on the wheell6 of the unit B similarly disposed relative to the numbers on the wheell6 of the unit A, in spite of the end for end reversal of the unit Brelative to the unit A, it will be evident that the units A and B willform cooperating lower and successively higher units of a countingmechanism driven from the shaft 2 and adapted to be individually set bysuitable manipulation of the operating knobs 3a, 3b to form apredetermined counter having the setting indicated on the members 30thereof and the count on the members [6.

It will also be noted that the unit C is'disposed reversely relative tothe unit B, i. e., similarly to the unit A, and that this unit C isoperatively connected to the unit Bby a transfer pinion 48 similar to 46but disposed at the bottom of the units B and C. Also, the unit Disdisposed reversely relative to the unit C and similar to the unit B andconnected to the unit C by a like transfer pinion 49; this transferpinion 49, however, being disposed at the top similarly to the transferpinion 46. Here also it will be understood that the units C and D arealso provided with the controlling mechanism 0 and d corresponding tothe controlling mechanism a and b and adapted to be set by manipulationof controlling knobs 8c and 8d similar to knobs 8a and 3b. It will alsobe noted that the numbers on the number wheels I and 38 of eachcontrolling mechanism a, b, c and d and of each counter unit A, B, C andD are similarly disposed and are exposed through suitable apertures 88and SI, respectively, provided in the front face of the casing I andhere also in a plate -82; .the several apertures III being disposed inalignment at the top, while the apertures II are similarly disposed atthe bottom in parallel relation to the apertures 50, all in such manneras to cause the predetermined number for which the device is set herein,for example, 22, to be constantly visible through the upper apertures88, and the changing count to be visible through the lower apertures andboth to be readily readable at a glance without danger of confusion.

Operatively associated with the several units is also an improvedcontrolling mechanism which is operative when the predetermined numberhas been reached, 1. e. when all the balls 28 are received in all thenotches 28. This mechanism herein includes a rocking member or lever 58pivoted on a horizontal pivot rod 54 which is carried in lugs 55depending from the top. As shown,this lever 88 has a series of operatingarms 56 notched or slotted at their extremities and extending onopposite sides of the several shafts 84 and resting on the severalsetting wheels 30. Further, it will be noted that this lever 58 isprovided with a single rearwardly extending arm 51 at one end thereofwhich is, in turn, engageable with an operating button 58 of the switchmechanism 4, herein a usual snap switch type adapted to control thecircuit 8 and be automatically reversely operated upon release ordepression of the button 58. Moreover, it will be noted that an upstan51, and that this lug 59 has a spring 88 operating between the same anda suitable depending abutment 6| carried on the cover Ia. Herein, themember 58 is in the position shown in Figure 4 during counting, with thearms 5& resting against the tops of the setting wheels 88 and the spring6B tending to press the arms ii down whenever the members 30 permit.Thus, whenever the predetermined number is reached and all the notches28 receive their cooperating balls 28, the member 58 will then bemovable downward as all. the setting wheels 30 are then free to movedownward, while the switch controlling arm 51 will be moved upward insuch manner as to release the button 58 and, accordingly, change thecircuit connections of the snap switch 4.

Operatively associated with the several units A, B, C and D is also animproved resetting mechanism therefor operated by the resetting member6. Herein, this resetting member 6 depends below the bottom of thecasing I and is in the form of a. rotatable knurled knob, generallysimilar to the knobs 3a, 3b, etc., and suitably journaled in the bottomof the casing I. As shown, this knob is provided with a shaft 62 andoperative connections actuated by this shaft and within the casing nglug 58 is provided on the member 53 near its pivot and adjacent this armin turn, meshes with pinions 64 and 85 coaxial pinions 68 which, inturn, mesh with pinionsi'l,

and 88, corresponding to the pinions 64 and 85 above described, and,respectively, fixed to the resetting shafts I8 of the units D and A. Asa result of this construction, it will be noted that by rotating theknob 8 it is possible to reset all of the units A, B, C and D to zeroposition in a single operation.

In the operation of my improved mechanism it will be observed that themechanisms a, b, c

and d, may be set for any desired setting, as, for

example, for a count of 22, by suitable adjust ment of the knobs Ia, 3b,8c and 3d; it only being necessary to pull up these knobs and rotatethem .to bring the desired numbers on the number wheels 30 into exposedposition in the apertures 50. Thereafter, with the device thus set forthe selected number of operations, the same will count up to theselected number as the driving member 2, is rotating. Further, when thatnumber is reached, all of the notches 28 then receiving all the balls29, all of the members 30 may be lowered, and the arm 51 on the member53 will also then be raised in such manner as to release the button 58of the switch 4 and, accordingly, change the circuit connections of thelatter.

Attention is directed to the fact that as a result of my improvedmechanism it is possible to set the same from the outside of the casing;all necessity for opening the casing to permit setting being eliminated.Further, it will be noted that the construction is such as to enable thesetting ,to be changed at any time while the counter is in operation,all necessity for shutting down the counter; or the machine to which itis connected, in order to change the setting, likewise being eliminated.Moreover, the setting is indicated at all times, the predeterminednumber always being visible through the apertures 50. .As a result, itwill be evident that there is markedly less chance of confusing thereading of the counter with the reading of the setting wheels, than isthe case where both readings change continuously during the countingoperation. These and other objects and advantages of my improvedconstruction will, however; be clearly apparent to those skilled in theart.

- While I have in this application specifically described one embodimentwhich my invention may assume in practice, it will be understood thatthis form of the same is used for purposes of illustration and that theinvention may be modified and embodied in other forms without departingfrom its spirit or the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patents is:

i. In a predetermining counter, operatively connected counter units,predetermining mechanism operative when said units reach a predeterminedcount and also including adjustable setting mechanism, a closed casingenclosing said elements, and means for adjusting said setting mechanismwhile said casing remains closed, said adjustable setting. mechanismincluding a rotatable setting controlling member for eachunit axiallyactuated when the predetermined count is reached and said means foradjusting said mechanism including an adjusting member for eachcontrolling member.

2. In. a predetermining counter, operatively connected counter units,predetermining mechanism operative when said units reach apredeterjustable member for each unit stationary during counting.

3. In a predetermining counter, operatively connected counter wheels,and predetermining mechanism operative when said wheels reach apredetermined count and including adjustable setting mechanism, saidadjustable setting mechanism including a plurality of number wheelscoaxial with said first mentioned wheels and having means for enablingsaid number wheels to indicate constantly the setting thereof throughoutthe operation of said counter wheels.

4. In a predetermining counter, operativelyconnected counter units,predetermining mechanism operative when said units reach a predeterminedcount and including adjustable setting mechanism, and mechanism foradjusting said setting mechanism at will comprising a plurality of setsof cooperating setting members each including a number wheel, one setfor each counter unit and each set having one cooperating memberrotatable with its unit and another stationary during operation of itsunit and adjustable at will and both coaxial with said number wheel.

5. In a predetermining counter, operatively connected counter wheels,and predetermining mechanism operative when saidwheels reach apredetermined" count and including adjustable setting mechanism, saidadjustable setting mechanism including a plurality of number wheelscoaxial with said counter wheels adjustable at any time in the operationof any unit and also having means for enabling said number wheels toindicate constantly the setting thereof throughout the operation of saidcounter wheels. 6. In a counter, a plurality of operatively connectedcounter units, said counter units each including a counter wheel andeach also having a predetermining mechanism including an adjustablenormally stationary predetermining number wheel and a cooperatingcoaxial member coaxial with the latter and rotatable with said unit, and

normally non-registering operative connections between each of said setsof coaxial members and movable into registry when the predeterminednumber is reached by said units.

7. In a counter, a plurality of operatively connected counter units,said counter units each including a counter wheel and each also having aerating coaxial member rotatable with said unit, normallynon-registering operative connections between each of said sets ofcoaxial members and movable into registry when the predetermined numberis counted by said units, and an actuating member cooperating with allof said mechanisms and operative when said count is reached.

8. In a counter, a plurality of operatively connected counter units eachrotatable on a parallel and predetermining mechanisms each includingacontrolling element normally stationary during counting and rotatablyadjustable to vary the setting at will and actuated. axially when saidunits reach a predetermined count.

9. In a counter, a plurality of operatively connected counter units eachrotatable on a parallel axis, and a plurality of predeterminingmechanisms, one at the same end of each unit and each having a rotatablecontrolling element and a cooperating element actuated axially when saidunits reach a predetermined count, and each also having an independentlyadjustable normally stationary setting member adjustable to vary thesetting of said cooperating element at will.

10. In a counter, a plurality of operatively connected counter unitseach rotatable on a parallel axis, and a plurality of predeterminingmechanisms, one at the same end of each unit and all operative uponreaching a predetermined count, and each having an independentlyadjustable setting member stationary during operation of said units andalso having means including elements between said setting member and itsunit and coaxial with both for enabling adjustment of saidpredetermining mechanism while its unit HARVEY ,N. BLISS.

